LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 731
Chapter 731: Dark Heaven Village
Xiang Yu looked just like I remembered—a huge figure with a bored expression. The moment he appeared, we all felt a tremendous sense of caution; it was as if his overwhelming fighting spirit was going to engulf us all, even if he was entirely unaware of our presence. But Xiang Yu, acting as if we weren’t even there, strolled casually and asked, “Where did the Heavenly Mysterious Woman go?”
“She returned to the Celestial Realm due to the constraints of the Law of Cause and Effect,” someone replied.
“Got it.”
*Whoosh!*
With that, Xiang Yu charged into the depths of Golden Crow Island. There was a heavy sound, and it felt like the dimensional boundary was tearing apart, resulting from the battle aura he released. As soon as Xiang Yu’s presence vanished, Cheon Woo-jin spoke up.
“Let’s go.”
“Sure, but we haven’t learned where the fortress of the Tenfold Great Formation is from Cheon Gong-pyo.”
“It must be the location where the most powerful energy emanates. We’ll find it.”
*Zing!*
With Cheon Woo-jin’s incantation, we all leaped into the depths of Golden Crow Island. Just like during our accidental visit with the Four Great Spirits, the place was filled with miraculous sights unimaginable in the human world, vibrant with mystical plants. As we dropped from the air, we found ourselves surrounded by the vast steppe of Manjangan Cliff.
Upon our arrival, Tang San pointed excitedly, “Over there!!”
In the direction he was pointing, silver and gold swirled chaotically in the skies, erupting like fireworks. The endless bursts of energy transformed into a rainbow-like flow that split into multiple strands. That magnificent spectacle was surely a result of some major conflict among divine beings.
“Is that the fortress of the Tenfold Great Formation?”
“But it’s quite far. At least thirty to forty li away.”
As Tang San murmured this, Jin So-cheong remarked, “And it seems that fortress is floating in the sky.”
“Yeah.”
It was true. The dazzling light was so bright that it was hard to see clearly, but there was indeed a fortress enveloped in radiant glow in the celestial expanse. Literally suspended above ground, there was no way for an ordinary human to reach it. At that height, it was certain it was floating at least three or four li off the ground.
Gong Gong, the guardian, who was observing the fortress, said, [The fortress is covered by an immense barrier. It seems that Celestial Sage has been using Clone Techniques to assault it from the outside.]
“Lord Gong, if we join, can we breach the barrier quickly?”
[Honestly, with our current strength, throwing ourselves into the fray doesn’t mean much. I might be fine if my strength had fully returned, but I’ve only recently gotten free from a curse, so I’m still struggling.]
“……”
[It’s best to just observe.]
At that moment— *Boom!!* The ground quaked violently as everything around us trembled. Something had exploded in the sky with an overwhelming force, causing an earthquake beneath us. Along with the roar, the dazzling light dimmed momentarily, and a cloud of smoke billowed up from the floating fortress.
Seeing the explosion, Cheon Woo-jin showed signs of shock.
“Oh my… to break the Tenfold Great Formation in one blow—I can’t believe that’s Xiang Yu?”
Cheon Woo-jin was rarely taken aback, but now there was a trace of fear in his expression. I looked at him with curious eyes; it was a rare event for him to be this amazed.
“Xiang Yu shattered the barrier?”
“… Yeah. Right now, we might be able to enter.”
After that remark, Cheon Woo-jin collected himself and looked around.
“Among us, only I and Lord Gong are capable of defeating the Tenfold Great Formation one-on-one. The rest of you would face excessive danger if caught in their techniques. I’ll create a barrier to protect you, so don’t stray from my side.”
I felt that Cheon Woo-jin was underestimating the human side and pouted.
“Jin So-cheong and I might have a chance, though…”
In that instant, I felt that Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes glared at me. His eyes flared with anger as he retorted,
“You blockheaded idiot! Just because you managed one cut on Son Tian-Jun’s Blood Transformation, your confidence is soaring like the heavens! Do you think this situation is the same as last time? And frankly, is the Fire Dragon Incarnate impressive, or is it you who’s so great?!”
“H-Huh.”
“Does it seem likely that the cornered Tenfold Great Formation would unleash its full power without anyone getting hurt? You think you could even imagine how powerful your enemy was if the world had been in that situation back then without Yeodong-bin’s capabilities? We’re talking about a monster that assassinated the Great Immortal!”
“……”
“Ugh, why do you have to make me want to curse… it’s so damn… I’ve been holding it in.”
After sighing with exasperation, Cheon Woo-jin finally regained his composure and continued.
“The Space Division techniques from the Tenfold Great Formation are extremely dangerous. Even if the Fire Dragon Incarnate assists you, danger remains danger. Any half-baked confidence will only lead to doom.”
“… Understood.”
On the side, Gong Gong chimed in.
[The ones inside that fortress are quite skilled. Cheon Woo-jin is right; you all need to be careful not to get caught up in their techniques.]
“I get it!”
[But do we really need to join forces?]
“What?”
Gong Gong crossed his arms in mild annoyance at my questioning.
[With the powers of Celestial Sage, Xiang Yu, and Cheon Gong-pyo combined, they should be able to wipe out the Tenfold Great Formation entirely. If we go, we’ll only be a burden and invite unnecessary losses. Why should we charge into that ironclad fortress?]
“Hmm.”
[Moreover, I am in the process of recovery. Getting injured here would greatly prolong my healing time. I’m confident I could handle one of the Tenfold Great Formation, but a cornered rat is still dangerous.]
Gong Gong had a point. Not just me, but most were nodding in agreement. Cheon Woo-jin, however, firmly declared,
“No, we absolutely need to go.”
[Why?]
“Both Celestial Sage and Xiang Yu—and Cheon Gong-pyo, too—are solely focused on using strength to subjugate the Tenfold Great Formation. But the Tenfold Great Formation is not to be underestimated; they could use that fortress to trap powerful beings.”
[Hmm… You believe you could detect their traps?]
“If I can sense their techniques, I can warn us of the dangers and allow us to dodge in advance. And…”
Cheon Woo-jin spoke in a dark tone.
“There’s a chance that Cheon Gong-pyo may betray us and join forces with the Tenfold Great Formation to kill both Celestial Sage and Xiang Yu.”
[That is a possibility. Alright, then we have no choice but to go.]
Gong Gong nodded reluctantly. Only then did I realize the significance of their conversation.
“Of course! Cheon Gong-pyo’s goal isn’t to destroy Golden Crow Island, but to claim it… which means he could very well make a deal with the Tenfold Great Formation and turn against us during that time.”
Cheon Woo-jin assumed a serious demeanor, knowing the risk, and insisted we must engage the Tenfold Great Formation directly. This way, we could warn our allies, Celestial Sage and Xiang Yu, and take lead in the battle.
Cheon Woo-jin shouted, “Time for Duty!”
*WHOOSH!*
In an instant, a blue light enveloped us, and as I blinked, we found ourselves in a massive corridor. The walls glistened in a clean brown hue, giving a smooth feel, with gigantic pillars supporting the structure. Having used the Transmission Technique to instantly enter the fortress, Cheon Woo-jin turned to me and said,
“Baek Woong, if our companions fall into danger, you must protect them.”
“Of course! But what do you mean by that…”
With a slightly hesitant tone, Cheon Woo-jin continued,
“Honestly, I’m not certain I can easily break through the techniques of the Tenfold Great Formation. If they split the space and try to strike us one by one, we might not have any way to counter. However, if you leverage the powers of the Fire Dragon Incarnate and the Dragon King’s strength, you can break through the walls of time and space, so be alert.”
“… Understood!”
“We only need to hold on until I find the core of this fortress.”
I grasped and echoed his words. We pushed forward, led by Cheon Woo-jin, and moved about a hundred steps when suddenly—
*CRUMBLE!*
The floor tiles shifted dramatically as the positions of the pillars changed, and dozens of dazzling mirrors emerged around us.
Cheon Woo-jin gritted his teeth and yelled, “This is the Golden Light Formation of the Golden Light Saint! Don’t look directly at the mirrors!”
“If you look…?”
“You’ll die, you idiot! One beam of light is enough to kill you.”
“……!!”
“Don’t question everything.”
*Clink!*
In a flash, the mirrors began to reflect each other, filling the room with an overwhelming number of beams of light. The speed and trajectory were beyond the capability of any human to dodge, but at that moment, Cheon Woo-jin waved, forming a square barrier to protect us.
“Time for Duty!”
Then Gong Gong’s eyes sparkled as he spoke up.
[There!]
Gong Gong drew his great sword, rushing toward an unseen foe. It seemed he had sensed the position of the Golden Light Saint with his divine powers.
In that moment, the light from the mirrors dissipated, and the terrain reverted to its original state. Cheon Woo-jin said,
“Gong Gong has engaged the Golden Light Saint. Let’s move quickly.”
*Tydaht!*
When we advanced another hundred steps, the sound of a buzzing filled the air, reminiscent of cicadas. Cheon Woo-jin, looking visibly perplexed, uttered,
“Ugh… time-space division… This is bad.”
*Pop!*
Our line of sight began to completely split apart. Simultaneously, the figures of my companions running alongside me transformed into what seemed like dozens of different images, and I felt the world around me twisting in confusion.
‘Is this a space division technique?’
It was certainly different from the experiences with Blood Transformation or Ice of the Han Dynasty. I recalled Cheon Woo-jin’s earlier warning and called out while interweaving the techniques of Fire Elemental Sword and Fire Dragon Sword.
“Fire Dragon Incarnate! Please give me your power!”
[The weakness of this space lies over there!]
*WHOOSH!*
The Fire Dragon Incarnate infused me with its power, and a mark of the Fire Dragon appeared in the void. Without hesitation, I whirled my twin swords and dashed toward that mark, striking hard.
*CRACK!*
With the sound of shattering glass, I broke free from the strange space and returned to reality. However, contrary to shattering the spell, my companions were nowhere to be found, and I stood alone in a vast pit. Before me, about ten feet away, was a peculiar figure perched on the stairs.
*Crackle crackle!*
The figure looked human, but there was an alien quality to him. He held a piece of jerky in one hand, dressed in a robe emblazoned with the Eight Trigrams, and upon closer inspection, his face was entirely covered in blood-red patterns, while his limbs bore talismans. Moreover, his hair was so long it reached down past his thighs.
With skin as pale as ashes, the man paused from chewing the jerky to ask me, “Who are you? You’re human but are attacking our Golden Crow Island with those people?”
“Who are you?”
“I am Qin Tian-Jun.”
*Gulp!*
As soon as I heard that name, I realized I was in deep trouble. The figure before me, Wang Cheon-gun, was among the oldest and most powerful of the Monster Sages.
‘And Qin Tian-Jun specializes in Meteor Manipulation…’
While I was tensing up, Qin Tian-Jun remarked,
“Now I see you possess the powers of the Seven Luminaries and the Fire Dragon. That’s quite a fortunate combination.”
“You speak as if you’re absolutely going to defeat me.”
Qin Tian-Jun stood up, mocking me.
“You foolish fool. Just because you control the Seven Luminaries doesn’t mean you’re the best!”
“What?”
“Die!”
*WHOOSH!*
At that moment, a massive meteor, the size of hundreds, appeared directly in front of me. The meteor was wrapped in flames, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
“……?!”
[Danger!]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate transformed into a dragon, drawing upon the powers of the Fire Dragon Sword to combat the meteor, but it pressed on relentlessly, refusing to lose momentum. Feeling I was about to be crushed, I hastily unleashed the Thunder God Sword Dance to strike the enormous meteor.
However, just as I did, the figure of Qin Tian-Jun had vanished from the scene, and instead, countless meteors rained down upon me from all directions. The Fire Dragon Incarnate yelled,
[You’ve fallen into the Heavenly Convergence! Stay sharp and endure!]
*BOOM CRASH!*
I had no choice but to slice and dodge the incoming meteors in a frenzy. But meteors continued falling endlessly, and my enemy, Qin Tian-Jun, was nowhere to be seen. Frustration gripped me as I called out to the Fire Dragon Incarnate.
“Is there no way to slice through the space like before?”
[That’s impossible!]
“Why?!”
[Unlike before, when it unfolded in a makeshift manner, the Heavenly Convergence is now being directly controlled by the sorcerer. The resilience is dozens of times stronger than before! Moreover, if he expands the space infinitely while attacking us, we won’t have any way to fight back.]
“Maybe breaking through with the fire elemental energy can shatter the space itself…”
[Give it a try!]
*RUMBLE RUMBLE!*
I swung my swords to cut down meteors, channeling my combined force into the Fire Dragon Sword and Fire Elemental Sword. I tore my vision toward the void and shouted,
“Fire Elemental Energy!”
*BOOM CRASH!*
The powers of the Seven Luminaries surged forth, creating fissures in the space. Moments later, the space enveloping the meteors shattered, revealing the original dimension again, though Qin Tian-Jun remained a mere ten feet away.
“……?”
But next to Qin Tian-Jun stood another Monster Sage. This one resembled a mix of a mantis and a human. As that Monster Sage extended a hand forward, they proclaimed, [Receive the Wind Howling Array of Dong Tian-Jun.]
*WHOOSH!*
In an instant, once again a realm of space unfolded, this time filled with blustering winds. As I hurriedly dodged the whirlwind, I heard Qin Tian-Jun’s voice once more.
[Receive the Heavenly Convergence.]
*EXPLODE!*
“Ugh, this is…!”
I was using my Protection Energy Technique against the wind blades, yet simultaneously, the meteors swept in like a flood. I was taken aback. The overlapping two realms of space formed a lethal attack. The Fire Dragon Incarnate remarked,
[They’re combining their powers.]
“……”
[Well, I’d probably do the same. If I could just kill you, I’d gain the powers of the Seven Luminaries and the Fire Dragon Sword simultaneously.]
“Damn it! Where did Dong Tian-Jun even come from?!”
[This entire fortress is the Tenfold Great Formation, and if the Tenfold Great Formation can control space easily, it wouldn’t be strange at all. A serious issue indeed.]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate quickly understood the gravity of the situation.
*WHOOSH WHOOSH!*
More divine forms emerged.
“Shit, damn it.”
I blankly looked up at the divine forms floating in the sky as they extended their hands, shouting,
[Receive the Blood Transformation Array of Son Tian-Jun.]
[Receive the Ice of the Han Dynasty Array of Yuan Tian-Jun.]
[Receive the Red Sand Array of Zhang Tian-Jun.]
Then, they all unleashed blinding light simultaneously.
[Hah hah hah! Hand over the Seven Luminaries, human brat!]
*THUNDER!*
A crimson wave surged forth, and the temperature around plummeted suddenly. At least before, I had ground to stand on, but now a dark sand pit opened, ready to swallow me whole.
While I was blocking the meteors in the whirlwind, I noticed the blood-red wave and arrows shooting straight for me.
‘Bastards…’
My mouth dropped open in pure disbelief as I faced the impossible combination of five members of the Tenfold Great Formation attacking all at once.